MOSCOW, April 4 (Itar-Tass) — Twelve persons injured in a gas explosion at the Il Pittore restaurant in Moscow last January are still in hospital, deputy head of the Emergency Situations Ministry's department for Moscow Sergei Anikeyev said on Wednesday.
"The explosion at the restaurant located in Novocheryomushkinskaya Street in southwestern Moscow occurred on January 9 afternoon. Three persons were killed and another 41 were injured and rushed to hospital. Twelve still remain in hospital," Anikeyev said.
Had it not been for preventive fire-fighting measures, the consequences would have been far more grave, the official added.
Earlier reports said the investigators had identified the persons whose actions led to a gas explosion at the Il Pittore restaurant.
More than 20 victims have been recognized as inured parties, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said.
The founders and executives of the Casabella company have been questioned.
"Casabella officials admitted the fact of using gas equipment for cooking at the restaurant," Markin underlined.
The criminal case was opened under the Criminal Code articles on causing negligent death and provision of services that do not meet the safety requirements. Another article /"negligent destruction or damage to property/ has been added to the case.
Markin said the wooden structure, where gas cylinders had been kept, was illegal.